Welcome to May 2017 edition of the Biotechnology Update. In this edition, a high-level delegation from Kenya visited Malawi's Bt Cotton National Performance Trial (NPTs) fields on May 11, 2017. The Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) called for submissions on an application to permit food from a number of genetically modified potato lines. An Indian environment ministry panel has recommended to the government that it allow the cultivation of genetically modified mustard variety, taking it closer to becoming the country's first GM food crop for commercial production. Finally, there seems to be a ray of hope for farmers growing cassava in Uganda since the Scientists at the National Agricultural Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) in the country have been breeding cassava varieties with resitance to CBSV and CMV since 2013 using modern biotechnology approach.

August 3, 2015 Volume 14, Issue 1

Welcome to June 2015 edition of
the Biotechnology Update. In
this edition, the Pope believes
GMOs are safe as the BBC
panorama accuses anti-GMO
activists of ignoring science. In
East Africa, Tanzania sees bene-
fits in GM adoption but bemoan
low awareness and opinion has it
that Museveni could win another
term if GM crops’ benefits were
realized in Uganda. Further east,
China’ investment in biotech
paying off as it becomes a hub of
biotech research and Water Effi-
cient Maize released to the pub-
lic in South Africa. Production
of microalgae is now a large
scale business while 2020 pro-
jection of the value of GM seeds
climbs to $35.3 billion.

August 3, 2015 Volume 14, Issue 2

Welcome to July 2015 edition of
the Biotechnology Update. In
this edition, India quietly
changes mood on GM crops as
Turkey approves five more traits
since 2011. In Africa, politics
and fear of trade cuts with the
EU slow down GM crops uptake
yet EU countries import large
but sow less of GM crops. Still
in Africa, Uganda continues to
lose its staple, banana, to dis-
eases while resistant bananas
wait in labs. Elsewhere, GM rice
to join the fight against climate
change by reducing methane
emissions to 1% and fungi en-
gages in a clean up campaign of
bunker oils. Finally, yeast used
in bread, wine yields better fla-
voured chocolate.